Niles Vikings prepare for State Finals with practice at Notre Dame's Loftus Center

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Niles Vikings practiced at Notre Dame's campus in the Loftus Center indoor practice facility to help give the Vikings the opportunity to feel what it's like to play inside and also get them mentally prepared for a different environment.

ABC57's Allison Hayes had the opportunity to talk with Niles Vikings players and coaches on Wednesday as they get ready for the state finals on Friday.

"We just want to get in an atmosphere, an enclosed atmosphere." stated Scot Shaw, the Niles Football Coach. "I think that was good for us. We had a good practice today, and we got a little bit used to the heat again. So, hopefully that's a plus. They're a lot like us. You know, they predicate their attack on the run, just like we do. You know, we're going to throw it when we want to, hopefully not when we have to. And they're the same way. They're much like the Edwardsburg and the Paw Paws that we played, the Portlands that we played more in a phone booth than wide out. But they're, you know, they've got a great program. They've been in the dome two years ago. They got beaten in the semis last year. And their kids, I'm sure, are hungry. They want to turn that around. And, you know, hopefully we can come off the ball and be more physical than they are."

"I think it's just getting us ready, getting us ready, getting the atmosphere ready." said Jaden Ivery, Niles Senior It shows us that we can be good on any type of occasion, any field, any weather. It's not going to be easy. It's going to be a dog fight. But I think we can come out on top if we can win the line of scrimmage and stop their bigger guys."

Best of luck to the Niles Vikings on Friday at Ford Field in Detroit. ABC57's Allison Hayes will be at that game to catch all the action.